The Camino de Santiago IB Diploma Extended Essay Subject: World Religions “How have the historical traditions of the Camino de Santiago ​ shaped the modern spiritual practices of the pilgrimage?” Word Count: 3,570 0 Table of Contents Title Page…………0 Table of Contents…1 Introduction………2 Body I. History of the Camino………………….3 II. The Camino today……………………….7 III. Why is the Camino travelled?....................10 IV. How the Camino is spiritually enriching ...12 Conclusion….14 Bibliography...15 Appendix…...16 1 Introduction The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage that is still frequently travelled today, however not with the same religious devotion as centuries before. Today, the Camino is used in the hopes of achieving better health, meeting an array of interesting people, experiencing Spanish culture, etc. Yet, all who travel the Camino admit that they feel spiritually enriched by the experience. The Camino is an intriguing mix of cultures as people from all over the globe come to be pilgrims, but it also seems timeless as modern pilgrims sit in the very cathedrals, and walk along the same dirt path as Roman soldiers, Charlemagne, and thousands of pilgrims before them. Rich with history, modern pilgrims debate what constitutes a “true pilgrim,” as modern day pilgrims have so many more materials at their disposal than the original pilgrims, such as transportation, and technology. This essays seeks to investigate the historical and modern traditions of the Camino de Santiago, in order to see how they have shaped the spiritual practices of the ancient pilgrimage. This essay will study the religious background of the pilgrimage, as well as modern approaches and reasoning for travelling the Camino. This includes the legends and origins of St. James, the routes involvement in Medieval history, and the typical ensemble of ancient pilgrims in comparison to the practices and ensemble of modern pilgrims. This research question is worthy of investigation because the Camino de Santiago is a glimpse into how the practice of pilgrimage has stayed alive in modern culture and spirituality as technology and other advances make the practice of religion more and more obsolete. We see that despite generations of sceptics, the human spirit still yearns for some sort of sustenance as it searches for meaning. 2 Body I. History of the Camino The Camino de Santiago began about 1200 years ago at the beginning of the 9th century, because it was believed that the remains of Saint James, the evangelical apostle of the Iberian Peninsula, were buried at Santiago de Compostela, Spain.1 The pilgrimage is rich with history, to the point one “[swells] simultaneously between two worlds, the modern and the medieval.”2 The discovery of the tomb has turned the city into the "most famous pilgrim routes in the Christian world."3 In the Bible, Apostle James the Greater is the brother of John the Evangelist. The title "the Greater" was given to St. James to help differentiate him from the shorter Apostle James "the Less.”4 He was also one of the first disciples of Jesus. According to the Bible, as James and John worked with their father Zebedee in a fishing boat, Jesus called upon them. “He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him” (Mark 1:19-20). St. James witnessed the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, and Gethsemani’s agony. He was also the first apostle to be martyred. According to legend, St. James came to Spain and 1 Mammano, Gina Marie. Camino divina-walking the divine way: a book of moving meditations with likely and ​ ​ unlikely saints. Strawberry Hills, NSW: ReadHowYouWant, 2016. ​ 2 Sibley, Robert C. The way of the stars: journeys on the Camino de Santiago. Charlottesville: University of ​ ​ ​ Virginia Press, 2012, 5 3 "Camino de Santiago ." Camino de Santiago. Accessed August 23, 2017. ​ 4 Online, Catholic. "St. James the Greater - Saints & Angels." Catholic Online. Accessed August 23, 2017. 3 preached Christianity for seven years before returning to Judaea, where he was martyred by King Herod. “About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also” (Acts 12:1-3a).5 The night before Peter was supposed to be sentenced, he was led by an angel out of the prison and went to the home of Mary, where believers gathered. He told them all that had happened and said, "Go, show these things unto James and all the brethren."6 St. James’ disciples smuggled his body back to Spain and buried it near Padron, which is a few miles from Santiago. Theodomir, Bishop of Ira Flavia was thought to reveal the location of the tomb in the year 813. Another legend says that St. James appeared on Clavijo’s battlefield, near Logrotio, in order to aid the Spaniards against the Moors.7 St. James then became known as Santiago Matamoros, or Saint James the Moor Slayer.8 The height of Santiago’s pilgrimages started in the Middle Ages, from the 9th to the 16th century. "Ultreya,” was a pilgrim moto of encouragement during that time, which is Latin for “go forward, go beyond.”9 In the 13th century, the Camino was an active way to follow “the way of Christ.10 5,000 people came each day to worship St. James. Pilgrims came from France, 5 Miller, OFM Fr. Don. "Saint James the Apostle." Franciscan Media. June 20, 2017. Accessed August 23, 2017. ​ 6 "All Bible Characters." All Bible Characters - Bible Characters - Bible Study - BibleWise. Accessed August 23, 2017. 7 "El Camino de Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage in Spain The Way of St Jame." Camino de Santiago. Accessed ​ August 23, 2017. 8 Sibley, 33 ​ 9 Ibid, 5 ​ 10 Mammano, Gina Marie. ​ 4 Britain, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, as well as Spain. As a holy place, Santiago was almost considered an equal of Rome and Jerusalem, as no European Christian pilgrimage route is was extensive or continuous. Pilgrims sought out enlightenment in Spain, rather than having to travel as far as Jerusalem or Rome.11 The most popular day in Santiago was the feast day of St. James, on the 25th of July. Charlemagne- who led his army across the Pyrenees into Spain to free Christians from Muslim rule12- Calixtus II, Alfonso II,“El Cid;” Emperors, popes, King’s, Knights of the Templar, noblemen, priests, farmers, beggars, travelers, the sick, the healthy, the homeless, the rich. All pilgrims were treated equally in their travels.13 The Camino de Santiago has 1,800 ecclesiastical and secular buildings along the route that are of great historic interest, which resulted in the most vertible material record for these ancient of activities.14 According to these records, the pilgrimage began to lessen during the 14th century due to wars, epidemics and natural catastrophes.15 As the 16th century came to an end, European Reformation, as well as the Spanish and English war caused a decline in the amount of Santiago’s pilgrims. The relics of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela were lost by the Bishop of Compostela when, in 1589, Sir Francis Drake attacked La Coruna. The relics were found nearly 300 years later, and the pilgrimages continued.16 In response to the damage the route had suffered, the Camino’s recovery began in the late 19th century.17 Today, Santiago is an 11 Ibid. ​ 12 Sibley, 30 ​ 13 Pilgrim. "El Camino de Santiago, The Way of St James." El Camino de Santiago | The Way of St. James. ​ February 25, 2015. Accessed August 23, 2017. 14 "Camino Journeys in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Japan." Walk The Camino. Accessed August 23, 2017. 15 "Camino de Santiago." Camino de Santiago. ​ 16 "El Camino de Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage in Spain The Way of St Jame." ​ 17 "Camino de Santiago." Camino de Santiago. ​ 5 UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.18 The pilgrims of the time wore heavy capes, sandals, staffs and felt hats. The scallop shell was, and still is, a symbol of hospitality along the route. It also represents the many startling places of pilgrimages, who walk their own path from the edges of the shell's own outer grooves, moving all the way down to the meeting of pilgrims and grooves on the shells.19 In other words, “the grooves on the shell all lead to a single point at its base. The grooves represent all the ways to get to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela.”20 The emblem is said to date back to when Lord of Pimentel swam across the ocean, emerging from the sea on the other side covered in scallop shells. The scallop shell was also used in the crusade Santiago Cathedral against the Moorish invaders.21 The amount of human traffic going towards Galicia resulted in creation of hospitals, albergues (hostels designated for pilgrims), churches, monasteries, abbeys and towns all along the route. 22 These hospitals and hospices were meant to take care of sick and weary pilgrims. Occasionally, the pilgrims were cared for by Benedictine and Cistercian monks, as well as the Knights Templar of the Spanish Order, and of the Red Sword, who were in charge of Northern Spain’s pilgrims safety from bandits and criminals.23 To this day, churches and albergues continue their duty of caring for pilgrims.